Analysis Of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest By Ken Kesey

To be considered insane one must have non-conforming perceptions, behaviors, and interactions that negatively distinguishes one from one’s community (Mayo Clinic). Furthermore for one to be labeled mentally ill, they would need to be clinically diagnosed as being psychologically challenged. In Ken Kesey’s controversial novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the constant question being asked by everyone is whether or not McMurphy is just an irrationally drunk character or is he actually struggling with deep-seated mental issues. However,instead McMurphy is a reckless, foolish, and arrogant in his actions For that reason McMurphy, by manipulating his peers and in comparison to other characters is not insane, rather he is a power-hungry, trouble-starting,

Upon entering the institution, Mcmurphy walks in filled with joy and delight bringing back laughter and excitement into gloomy, dead hallways (Forman). Then one of the first thing he says is “I’m thinking about taking over this whole show myself” (19). McMurphy has just entered the ward and has no idea of how things work around here, but without a doubt intends to have dominance over the facility. Further on and throughout the book, McMurphy is absolutely determined to change the rules and general environment of the institution. He starts to uplift the spirits of the patients to get them to rebel against Nurse Ratched (A Portrait of Despair in One Dimension). Then he brings up new rules and ideas, for instance when wanting to change the cleaning and t.v. times so that they would be able to watch the World Series (Forman/Kessey). Lastly, he comes up with the idea of taking the men fishing and later on throws a party inside the ward. In the end the fact McMurphy was successful and he “had things going his way for a good long while” (205) proves that he was well determined and is sane. Overall the amount of freedom that Mcmurphy held for himself and without having any trouble of getting that freedom stripped away from him by the Nurse verifies his sanity. His strong, loud, and lively characteristic speaks for his freedom (A Portrait of Despair in One Dimension). As soon as he entered the ward he displayed his freedom towards everybody “with the brassy way he hollered” (19) at the black boys for getting him to change his clothes. Even after receiving electroshock therapy he came walking down the hall with an act on his face and bursted out laughing as soon as everybody had their eyes on him and in the presence of the Nurse (Forman). More or less, he knew that he only had to perform small